MCA begins inspection of companies in railway bribery case

In this May 4, 2013, photo, CBI officials take Vijay Singla, nephew of then Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, to Delhi for further interrogation in connection with an alleged bribery case. Photo: Special Arrangement

THE HINDU;THE HINDU

In this May 5, 2013 photo, BJP leader Satyapal Jain displays a list of family members of then Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal holding stake in different ventures of Vijay Singla, who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with an alleged bribery case. Photo: Akhilesh_Kumar

The HIndu

In this May 10, 2013, photo, Pawan Kumar Bansal leaves the Prime Minister's residence after submitting his resignation as Railway Minister, in New Delhi.

THE HINDU;THE HINDU

In this May 20, 2013, photo, BJP workers in Chandigarh brave the polce water cannon while staging a protest in front of the CBI office against some CBI officials who are allegedly favouring former Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has ordered an inquiry into the accounts and regulatory filings of about 100 companies alleged to be linked to family members of former Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Mr. Bansal had to resign earlier this month as Union Railway Minister, after his nephew and a few other persons were arrested by the CBI in a case involving alleged payment of bribe for fixing a top-level Railway Board position.

As the CBI probe continues into the matter, the MCA has asked the Registrar of Companies (RoC) to conduct a scrutiny of the accounts and other regulatory filings of more than 100 firms, against whom complaints have been received, linking them with Mr. Bansal and his family members, Ministry sources said.

The scrutiny follows complaints filed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya and a few others, wherein it has been alleged that these companies had close links with Mr. Bansal and his family.

Mr. Somaiya has also submitted some documents to the CBI about financial and other details of the companies linked to Mr. Bansal’s family.

Mr. Bansal has denied any wrongdoings in the entire matter and has also distanced himself from his nephew V. Singla and his business dealings. A day after Mr. Singla’s arrest on May 3, Mr. Bansal said he had no business links with his nephew and also sought an expeditious CBI inquiry into the issue.

However, he had to resign as Railway Minister within days on May 10.

Besides Mr. Singla, others arrested by the CBI included Mahesh Kumar, who was recently promoted as Member (Staff) of the Railway Board and was allegedly trying to get the lucrative position of Member (Electrical).

Mr. Singla was arrested in Chandigarh for allegedly accepting Rs. 90 lakh as bribe in cash from a conduit of Mahesh Kumar.

The money is said to be part of a total bribe amount of Rs 10 crore allegedly promised for lateral shifting of Mr. Kumar in the Railway Board.